Many PDFs display correctly on your own computer, but when sent to clients, colleagues, or uploaded to a system, issues such as font substitution, layout misalignment, and abnormal text rendering may occur. One common reason is that fonts are not embedded in the PDF file. This article uses HeSoft Doc Batch Tool as an example to demonstrate how to use the PDF optimization and compression feature to batch configure font embedding methods for multiple PDFs, especially subsetting all fonts, making the files more suitable for distribution, archiving, and previewing, while reducing the repetitive work of opening and processing them one by one.
In daily office work, PDFs are often used for transmitting formal documents such as contracts, bidding documents, design drafts, reports, courseware, and supporting materials. The advantage of PDFs is their stable layout, but if the fonts used in the file are not properly embedded, and the recipient's computer or mobile device does not have the corresponding fonts installed, issues such as font substitution, text spacing changes, anomalous symbols, and inconsistent display of English italics or bold may occur. For scenarios requiring the bulk distribution of dozens or hundreds of PDFs, inspecting font properties and re-exporting PDFs one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to oversight.
This article addresses this very issue: how to use the batch processing capabilities in office software to uniformly set the fonts of many PDFs to an embedded or subset state, facilitating cross-device distribution and preview. The software in the screenshots is HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , positioned as a document batch processing software for office scenarios. Its core value lies in consolidating repetitive file processing operations into a single workflow. Below, by comparing before-and-after effects and detailing the specific operation steps, we will explain how to batch subset PDF fonts.
Applicable Scenarios: Which PDFs Need Batch Embedding or Subsetting of Fonts
Not all PDFs necessarily require font re-processing, but the following scenarios are ideal for batch font embedding or subsetting before distribution:
- Sending contracts, quotations, and proposals externally: Ensuring that titles, body text, numbers, and symbols remain consistent when clients open them on different computers.
- Batch archiving project materials: Archived files need long-term preservation and should not depend on fonts installed on the current computer when opened in the future.
- Uploading to government affairs, bidding, thesis, or material systems: The system previewing the PDF may not have the local font environment, and non-embedded fonts can easily cause unstable previews.
- Design, typesetting, and pre-print preview: If a PDF uses special fonts, bold/italic fonts, or English fonts, the font embedding state will directly affect the preview effect.
- Batch processing multiple similar PDFs: For example, multiple files like 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, 4.pdf, 5.pdf. Opening and setting them individually would be very inefficient.
The difference between font embedding and font subsetting can be simply understood as: embedding all fonts attempts to write the complete font resources into the PDF; subsetting all fonts only embeds the font data required for the characters actually used in the document. For distribution and preview, subsetting usually better balances display stability and file size control, which is why many office scenarios choose to subset all fonts.
Effect Preview: Before Processing — PDF Fonts Not Shown as Embedded Subset
The pre-processed files below are a set of PDFs to be processed, totaling 5 files named 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, 4.pdf, and 5.pdf. In actual work, such files might originate from Word, docx, doc, Excel, PPT, design software exports, or scanned and organized PDFs. If the font status of each file must be manually checked, the workload increases rapidly with the number of files.
In the document properties before processing, you can see font information like TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT and TimesNewRomanPSMT in the PDF's font list, but the status identifier "Embedded Subset" does not appear after the font names. This indicates that these fonts were not embedded in the PDF in the subset manner shown in the screenshot. For the current computer, it might still display normally; however, on another computer, a different PDF reader, or after uploading to an online preview platform, font substitution or layout changes may occur.
This is a point many users easily overlook: a PDF looking normal does not mean its fonts are suitable for distribution. Especially for different weights, italics, and bold italics of English Times New Roman, or for Chinese fonts and special symbol fonts, if they are not embedded, there is uncertainty when previewing across devices.
Effect Preview: After Processing — Fonts Shown as Embedded Subset
After completing PDF optimization and compression with HeSoft Doc Batch Tool and selecting font subsetting, checking the PDF's document properties again shows "Embedded Subset" after the font names. For example, fonts like TimesNewRomanPS-BoldItalicMT, TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT, TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT, and TimesNewRomanPSMT are all displayed as embedded subsets, with the font type shown as TrueType(CID) and encoding as Identity-H.
This indicates that the PDF has written the font character data actually used by the document into the file. For the recipient, even if the exact same font is not installed locally, it is more likely to display according to the original layout. For the file creator, completing the font processing for 5 PDFs in one batch is far more efficient than opening PDF software individually to save, export, and check each one.
Operation Steps: Using PDF Optimization and Compression to Batch Set Font Embedding Method
Step One: Enter PDF Tools, Select PDF Optimization and Compression
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select PDF Tools from the function categories on the left. The right side will display multiple PDF-related batch processing functions, such as modifying PDF page layout, reversing PDF page order, converting PDF pages to image format, deleting blank PDF pages, PDF to Word, PDF to JPG images, etc. This article uses 25. PDF Optimization and Compression.
The operational purpose of this step is to enter the functional module capable of batch optimizing PDF files. Although the function name includes "Optimization and Compression," as seen from the subsequent setting items, it can handle not only compression-related parameters like image quality and maximum image resolution but also set the font embedding method. Therefore, when the goal is to batch embed or subset PDF fonts, this function should also be entered.
Step Two: Add the PDF Files to be Processed
After entering PDF Optimization and Compression, the top of the interface provides buttons like Add Files, Import Files from Folder, Clear, and More. According to the screenshot, 5 PDF files have currently been imported. The list displays information such as sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, and modification time, with the bottom summary showing a record count of 5.
If processing only a few specified files, you can click Add Files to select them one by one; if many PDFs are saved centrally in one folder, you can use Import Files from Folder. After importing, it is recommended to check the file list to confirm the names and paths are correct, avoiding the accidental inclusion of PDFs that do not need processing. A delete operation is also available on the right side of the list for removing a specific record. Once the files are confirmed to be complete, click Next at the bottom to enter the processing options settings.
Step Three: Enable Font Embedding Method in Processing Options
After entering the second step "Set Processing Options," multiple option areas can be seen in the interface, including Image Quality, Maximum Image Resolution, and Font Embedding Method. The Font Embedding Method is marked with an asterisk, indicating it is a key setting directly related to this font processing task. In the screenshot, the Font Embedding Method has been enabled, offering two choices: Embed All Fonts and Subset All Fonts.
If your goal is to ensure fonts are as complete and usable as possible, you can choose Embed All Fonts; if your goal is to make the PDF more suitable for distribution and preview while considering file size, you can choose Subset All Fonts. In the screenshot, Subset All Fonts is selected, which corresponds to the "Embedded Subset" status shown in the post-processing document properties.
Note that Image Quality and Maximum Image Resolution are options related to image compression. If the current focus is solely on font embedding, it is advisable not to arbitrarily adjust these options to avoid unnecessarily affecting the clarity of images in the PDF. After confirming the font embedding method, proceed by clicking Next.
Step Four: Set the Save Location and Start Processing
The progress bar shown in the screenshot indicates that the subsequent steps include Set Save Location and Start Processing. Upon entering the save location step, choose the output directory based on actual work habits. It is recommended not to overwrite the original files directly, especially for important PDFs like contracts, bidding documents, and formal reports. Outputting to a new folder, such as "Fonts Subsetted" or "PDF Fonts Processed," allows easy comparison with original files and facilitates rollback if problems arise.
After setting the save location, proceed to Start Processing. The software will batch execute the optimization and compression tasks according to the file list and process each PDF based on the font embedding method just selected. Once processing is complete, it is recommended to randomly open one or two files and check in the PDF reader's document properties, on the fonts page, if "Embedded Subset" is displayed. If there are many files, you can perform a spot check first and, after confirming the rules meet expectations, use them for external distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Should I choose Embed All Fonts or Subset All Fonts?
If mainly used for general distribution, preview, and archiving, choosing Subset All Fonts is usually more suitable because it only embeds the character data actually used by the document, helping to control file size. If the file requires subsequent deep editing in professional workflows or has special font requirements, you can choose Embed All Fonts according to the specification.
2. Will the file size definitely decrease after font subsetting?
Not necessarily. PDF Optimization and Compression involves multiple aspects like fonts, images, and structure. For PDFs that originally had no embedded fonts, the file size may slightly increase after adding font data; but the benefit gained is more stable cross-device display. Whether the size decreases depends on the original file structure and other compression settings.
3. Why is it recommended to back up before batch processing?
Batch processing affects multiple PDFs at once. To avoid selecting the wrong files, setting incorrect save paths, or having processing results that do not meet expectations, it is recommended to keep the original files first, or test with a small number of samples initially. After confirming the post-processing font status, display effect, and file size all meet requirements, proceed to batch process all files.
4. Why check document properties after processing?
A visual inspection of the page can only determine if the current device's display is normal; it cannot directly prove that the fonts are embedded. Checking the "Embedded Subset" status on the fonts page in the document properties provides a more accurate confirmation of the processing result. This is also a good checking habit to develop before distributing important PDFs.
Summary: Reducing Tedious PDF Font Checking and Exporting with Batch Processing
When distributing a large number of PDFs, whether fonts are embedded directly impacts the stability of the recipient's preview. By using the PDF Optimization and Compression feature of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can add multiple PDFs to the task list at once and uniformly set the font embedding method, choosing to embed all fonts or subset all fonts. Compared to opening PDFs one by one for manual processing, this office software batch processing method significantly reduces tedious work and lowers the risk of oversight.
If you have a batch of PDFs ready to be sent, uploaded, or archived, it is recommended to first check their font properties; if you find the fonts are not shown as embedded or embedded subset, you can follow the steps in this article to batch process them. After processing, spot-check the document properties and page display effects, and you can proceed with distribution and preview with greater confidence.